


All Roads Lead Home

by puckp95



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Dragons, Erik Lehnherr has the EQ of a teaspoon, Erik is a Sweetheart, Erik is frequently grumpy and frequently confused, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M, Magic Made Them Do It, Multi, My love for Eragon and the Dragon Prince is seeping into this, Pining, mixing of mythologies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 02:05:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16461383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puckp95/pseuds/puckp95
Summary: Erik has fought the Empire his entire life. His only mission is to kill the king and avenge his people. A chance meeting on one of his missions is going to forever change his life. And the fate of the rest of the kingdom in the process.





	All Roads Lead Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emily_ani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_ani/gifts).



> Hello!! Slightly excited to write fantasy, hopefully it will all work out fine. Not if Erik does something stupid midway though. Hehehe.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading, let me know if I can improve somehow!!

The afternoon sun was harsh as it beat down his back as he made his way up the dusty road. The houses lining the road peeped at him from among a thick foliage of Jamun trees that were just beginning to ripen. The smell of the fallen fruit lay thick in the air as Erik carefully walked past them. He had been in Westchester for almost a month now, and apart from the badly brewed mead, he had nothing to complain about. Indeed he was afraid that the sweet lull of the village would rob him of all his intent and energy. His enquiries so far had revealed nothing to him, except that the current Lord had sworn himself to Shaw, but that much he had already known. His steps seem to echo as he walked across the marketplace in the uncharacteristic quiet that had descended upon the village. The shut stalls and the covered carts along with the conspicuous lack of people around amused him. Siestas, he snorted to himself, this village in the middle of nowhere was soft enough to take naps during the day. The inefficiency would have alarmed him, had he not been so amused. They were like children all of them, young and naive, taking a break from playing life just because it was too hot! He glanced at the group of dogs sleeping under a cart, and the clumps of cornflowers growing alongside the hedges and fought down the grudging affection he felt for this place. It would be a shame when he had to leave. 

He wiped the sweat from his brow as he walked uphill to the stronghold of Kurt Marko. The place loomed at him from its height, fortified and forbidding. Its grey stone walls and towers stood congruously amidst the otherwise unremarkable small town. Erik had spent the past few weeks infiltrating the closely knit network of servants that worked at the place. It was by a sheer accident of misplaced charm and too much time spent perusing botanical journals that he had managed to snag the position of a gardener. It helped that he was eager to accept the hours no one else wanted. He walked to the front gates of the hold, and nodded to the well armoured guard as he entered. His Metal Sense sang to him as he walked closer to the main house, Aranium was after all possessed only by the rich. The fools in their arrogance were piling on the very tools he would destroy them later with. Kind of them to build beacons to help him identify his targets. He retrieved his tools from the shed and walked towards the main house. The garden out front opened to another iron gate that was only used for guests and important dignitaries. Erik set to work at the newly dug flower beds, the iron of his trowel warm and welcome in his hand. The sun was harsher here, but the smell of fresh grass and wet soil was comforting. He started digging small holes for planting the delicate Moonflower bulbs. The absence of the elves had however weakened their glow, their bright silver sheen had been replaced by a dull grey. The human realm was no longer fit for harbouring magic, he would have to leave before it sapped him of his strength. It would only be a couple of more days before he had to move. He almost crushed the next bulb in frustration. He had yet to ascertain the exact location of the map, and he was running out of time. Made of metal as it was, it should have been easy for him to find it, the only problem was the sheer amount of metal that he could sense, the thrum of aranium and gold was very similar to aurellium, and could easily disguise it. He would have to get inside the keep and search there. He would get only one opportunity, he could not afford to miss it.  
A cool wind had started to blow by the time he was done with his work. The sun had softened and he could see the household around him stirring with signs of life. His coarse cotton shirt stuck to him uncomfortably as he straightened and stretched out his back, letting the trowel fall on the soil with a soft thunk. He readied himself for the usual burst of friendliness as he saw Kitty, the housemaid hurrying towards him with a pail of water in her hand. 

“Mr Lehnsherr, have you been working hard in the sun again?” she said as she handed him the pail and a mug.  
He nodded in thanks as he accepted them from her. The cool water was soothing and most welcome after the heat of the afternoon. He looked up to see the girl still staring at him with adoration. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her, trying not to pry too deeply into the workings of her mind. He was met with a blush as she picked up the pail and practically ran towards the house, before he had a chance to speak. He sighed to himself as he turned away, picking up his tools to return to the shed. Ever since his arrival, she had adopted him in a way, much to his amusement.Kitty and her mother had come over to Westchester recently, forced to leave her native village in Baluch because of the war. Her dark colouring and her distinct green eyes made her as much an outsider here as him. 

Around him servants hustled and bustled as they attempted to set the house in order before the family woke up. Erik made his way to the kitchen where Mrs Hudgens could be relied upon to have some food kept aside for the hired help. He took the narrow path that led to the back of the house which housed the servant quarters and the farms. The trees and bushes grew wilder here, straying onto the path and creeping steadily over old brick houses. Good, Erik thought with satisfaction, that is how it ought to be, the impersonal, strictly manicured garden out front always disgusted him.  
A sudden loud crack to his left startled him and spurred him into action, he seized control of all the metal around him, ready to impale whoever was foolish enough to attack him. He could only watch nonplussed however as a figure fell from the old banyan tree with a resounding thud.

“Oompf” the unfortunately inept assassin said, as Erik stealthily moved towards him, prepared to act at the slightest provocation. 

He was completely unprepared to be confronted with a crumpled heap of Charles Xavier. He watched completely bemused as the young heir slowly picked himself from the ground with a groan, his hair a nest of twigs and leaves. He stood up, dusting his fine white shirt which was completely soiled. Erik was about to sneak away from the scene, not prepared to deal with the conflicting array of emotions the man usually aroused in him, when suddenly said man spotted him and froze.

“Ah Erik” Xavier blushed in mortification and dragged a hand over his face before he faced him with a forced smile, “I hope you can be prevailed upon to forget what you just saw”

Erik could really not help the smile tugging at his lips as took in the dishevelled figure,  
“Of course Master Xavier, for the entertaining performance if nothing else”

“Right, umm if you will excuse me then” Charles said with great dignity as he started to limp his way towards the main house,

“Master Xavier” Erik couldn’t help stopping him, 

“Yes?” the man turned around with a pained expression

“You have dirt on your nose” Erik said, miming his words, “right here” he tapped the tip of his own. 

Charles very deliberately took out a handkerchief from his pocket and delicately dabbed his nose, “thank you” he said, raising his chin, “have a good evening then” he said and hobbled away. 

Erik watched his retreating figure with a vastly improved mood. Charles Xavier, he mused as he continued on his way, was a very inviting puzzle. The first time Erik had seen him in the garden, his unnaturally blue eyes had convinced him for one mad moment that he was one of the Gandharvas, the celestials. His next thought had been thwarted because of the man’s deliciously red mouth, that reminded Erik of dew laden red currants and fine mountain cherries. For one mad moment he had wondered if his lips would indeed taste of them. The first words out of Charles’s mouth had been enough to put an end to all such fantasies. He had been exceedingly fascinated by Erik’s grey eyes which according to him were one of the rarest mutations. He had babbled on about lineages and hinted at the possibility of a magic ancestor, completely oblivious to the distrustful looks that were now being levelled at Erik. The rather boisterous arrival of Kurt had however distracted him and the others long enough for Erik to slip away. Over the next couple of days he had carefully identified all the metal on Charles’s person and used it to avoid him. The young man however sought him out as frequently as he could, always fascinated by the plants that Erik was working with, and always ready to point out the various participants of the ecosystem that thrived in the garden and around the palace. He was charming and kind and his enthusiasm rose with every tidbit that Erik gave him. If he was disappointed when Erik gave vague answers about his ancestry he did not let it show. Talking to him felt disconcertingly like staring at the sun. Erik refused to accept that Charles had become one of the reasons he felt attached to this place, tethered.  
He was Kurt’s heir, the enemy. He and his people were responsible for the death of thousands of his own. If the need arose, he would kill the man as his duty required. He fought down the painful sensation in his chest at the thought. War had no place for sentimentality. 

Erik was assaulted by a cacophony of noises and smells as soon as he entered the kitchen. The inside was almost unpleasantly warm and crowded. The usually quiet kitchen was today bursting with activity. He ducked as people pushed past him carrying dishes and baskets of vegetables and meat. In the centre stood Mrs Hudgens, brandishing her rolling pin around her like a weapon as she cowed her underlings into working efficiently, much like the disparate parts of a machine. Erik quickly snagged a seat near the corner where Sean was already sitting, looking at the proceedings in front of him in open-mouthed wonder. His half eaten dish of bread and stew lay cooling in front of him. Erik nodded to him as he pulled out a chair.

“Erik!!! Did you hear?” the young man turned to Erik, tugging at his sleeves much to his displeasure.

He pulled his hand out of Sean’s grasp, glaring at him as he did so, and folded them in his lap, safely out of reach. “No, but I suppose you intend to tell me” he said coolly.

But Sean was beyond being affected by his obvious displeasure, “the king” he exclaimed excited, his red curls bouncing around his face, “the king is coming!” he had grown rather red at this point, “can you imagine!”

Erik felt disbelief and anger boiling in his blood as he took in the information, Shaw, he thought slowly, was coming to him, how very kind of him. 

“Really?” he crossed his fingers beneath his chin and leaned towards Sean,  
“When is he set to arrive?”

“One of his knights rode up ahead to let us know. They should be here tomorrow by noon” 

The smile Erik gave him was all teeth, the man started visibly and leaned away.

“You seem pleased” Sean ventured, “I never took you for a royalist”

“Really? Despite our close friendship” Erik raised his eyebrows at him, “how very disappointing”

Sean gaped at him for a second, confused before he huffed in annoyance and elbowed Erik lightly, “don’t be a bastard Lehnsherr”

When one of the overhanging iron pots suddenly decided to fall on Sean’s head, Erik acted suitably shocked, venturing as far as to get a cold press for the sizeable bump on the man’s head. 

When Erik returned to his room in the village after dinner, he sat down and began to compose the final plans in his head. Shaw coming here was a complication, but it was also a confirmation of his suspicions. He wrote a quick note on a small piece of parchment and rolled it up with a string. Opening his window, he whistled softly into the dark and waited. The night air brought with it the smell of jasmine and rain. He inhaled deeply as he stared out into the open corn field his rooms opened up to, the wind seemed heady with promise. A flutter of wings alerted him to Max’s arrival, his faithful peregrine. The bird cooed softly as it landed on his window sill. Erik took a moment to stroke him affectionately as Max rubbed his head against his hand. 

“Get this to Mystique as soon as you are able”

He looked at Erik with intelligent eyes and allowed him to tie the message to his leg. 

“Fly swiftly and fly true. May the winds rise favourably under your wings”

Max affectionately pecked at his finger and hopped off the edge, flying into the night with astonishing speed.

Now then, he thought as he returned to his desk. He had to prepare for his meeting with destiny.


End file.
